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Topic: Anyone else feel anxious while calm? (Read 313 times)

For the past 4 months my mental state has been anxiety 24/7 over every little thing. This morning I woke up with my usual morning panic and I started to do my usual morning routine. As time passed I slowly became less anxious and right now I don't really feel physical anxiety symptoms like I normally would. It might be that my Lexapro is starting to kick in. However I still feel kind of paranoid, something doesn't feel right. Could it be that I'm so not used to a calm state that it feels foreign to me? Does anyone else experience this paradoxical anxiety?

You said it. You are used to been anxious. If you suddenly feel good if confuses you. Because you don't normally feel that way. So your mind begins to play tricks on you. Thinking something must be wrong if you feel this good. Learn to accept that we can have good days too. They are allowed. Enjoy them when they happen.

There have been days where I have been totally anxiety free, and I have to say, it is a strange feeling----when day in and day out a mood that is anxious and frazzled becomes the norm, having a day (or more) of getting back to ones old self makes a person wonder what is going on. Especially when you have tried, and tried everything under the sun to get better, but it decides to happen out of the blue with no intervention, is when it becomes confusing. But, I would welcome those calm days with open arms, and not question it, just accept it.

For the past 4 months my mental state has been anxiety 24/7 over every little thing. This morning I woke up with my usual morning panic and I started to do my usual morning routine. As time passed I slowly became less anxious and right now I don't really feel physical anxiety symptoms like I normally would. It might be that my Lexapro is starting to kick in. However I still feel kind of paranoid, something doesn't feel right. Could it be that I'm so not used to a calm state that it feels foreign to me? Does anyone else experience this paradoxical anxiety?

Great question.

I think what happens when we've gotten so used to anxiety on a daily basis, our minds kind of become "addicted" to feeling that way. Then, when we start feeling better, we wonder what's going on.

I recently went back on Prozac and it kicked in about a week ago. I'm feeling good each day, no anxiety, getting out, doing the things I enjoy. Realizing that this is the way I am supposed to feel.

I know what you mean.....when I'm just getting past a rough patch of anxiety, my "usual" anxiety provoking situations don't bother me as much but then I find myself constantly "monitoring" for the return of anxiety or getting anticipatory anxiety. I sometimes find the anticipatory anxiety WORSE because it is a fearful sensation. But I do my CBT and remind myself that 1) anticipatory anxiety isn't going to harm me any more than my "other" anxiety does and 2) I try to accept the anticipatory anxiety as a good sign that things are improving for a bit.

I agree with what is said above, we do get used to being anxious, when we feel a different, it can be alarming, and confusing to our anxious heads that still want to be "cautious" about everything.

In my personal view, if you keep analyzing that you are "calm" you're really not yet. Anxiety and calm are in essence two different states, you can be a bit of both at times, but one usually over-rules the other. If you're truly relaxed and happy, the anxious "cautionary" feeling isn't going to stick around for too long, but if it remains, you're still pretty anxious.

It sounds weird but it takes a while to accept feeling goood again! Anxiety is scary because it's like our own body and mind has let us down when it's been the one constant thing we can rely on in life. It takes a while to build up that trust on yourself again. Try and remember to just trust yourself sometimes-- it really helps me :) but it's fantastic you feel better! The anxious times will get smaller and smaller and you'll start having more good days than bad. Be kind to yourself through this transition-- it takes patience, but you'll get there :) I did!

I've had something similar from time to time. It usually happens after a bad episode of anxiety. It seems that I get so used to constant anxiety that when things feel better, I get on edge and wonder if there is something bad coming up.